Papua New Guinea students to learn the trade...

Students in Papua New Guinea will be taught the skills of coffee production under a program to be introduced this week.

Pacific correspondent, Nasya Bahfen, reports the so-called coffee curriculum will be offered to primary and secondary schools in provinces such as East Sepik, and the Eastern and Western Highlands. It was developed by the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC), together with the PNG Department of Education, Ausaid and the UNDP. CIC Deputy chairman James Koimo, says the coffee curriculum will give PNG students who choose not continue their studies after high school practical skills."They have a fallback situation where they can go back and farm their land, produce coffee, look after themselves, all on their land," he said. The PNG coffee industry makes around $US100 million a year.